Railroad-crossing signal



March 16 1926. 1,577,125

J. w JACKSON RAILROAD CROSSING SIGNAL Filed April' 9. 1925 2 sheets sheet 1 my, 1

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J. W. JACKSON RAILROAD CROSSING SIGNAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 9. 1923 s 6 1 GO gvvuenfoz 7 7 O v22 I .w 22 LL 2 3% I 9V mam Patented Mar. 1e, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,577,125 PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN w. JACKSON, on DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF 1'0 ADA ALBERTA. JACKSON, or BRIGHTON, MICHIGAN.

RAILROAD-CROSSDIG SIGNAL.

Ap lication filed April 9, 1923. Serial 1%. 630,782.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN W. JACKSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of \Vayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Crossing Signals, of which the following isa specification. g

This invention relates to improvements in railroad crossing signals and has for its prime object to provide a signal that will indicate to automobilists and others from either side of the railroad track the approach of a railroad train.

further object of the invention is to provide a railroad crossing signal that will indicate the direction from which the train is approaching the crossing.

A still further object of theinve'ntion is to provide a crossing signal, wherein a circuitwill be automatically closed upon the approach of a train and the word Stop or Caution will be illuminated on both sides of a casing mounted on a post in the roadway. I

And a still further object of my invention is to provide an audible signal in connection with a visible signal, which will give a double warning of the approach of a railroad train.

Another object of the invention is to provide a railroad crossing signal of the above indicated character, which is simple in construction, durable, efficient for the purpose intended, and one that can be constructed and installed at all railroad crossings at a relatively low cost.

These and like objects of the invention will be better understood as the description follows and as is specifically pointed out in the a pended claims.

Re erring to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification and which clearly illustrate the construction and operation of my invention,

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a traflic signal constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged front elevation, partly in section.

Figure 3 is a vertical section through my traflic signal, and

Figure 4 1s a plan view of the wiring system.

in detail, like characters will be used to designate like parts in the different views.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a post which is adapted to be mounted in anysuitable position in the roadway at one side .of .a railroad track. Adjacent the upper end of the'post, same is provided with a pair of outwardly extending arms 2, on which any suitable indicia such as-Railroad crossing is painted thereon.

A casing 3 having a glass front and back is mounted on the post 1 and the outwardl extending arms 2. The glass cover on both the front and rear is divided by means of a partition 4; and the upper glass 5 is pref-- erablyformed of red, whilethe lower lass 6 is constructed of white or green. uch indicia as Traflic stop is painted or perforated in the glass 5, while such wording as Trafiic go is painted or perforated in the glass 6. An electric bulb is mounted in the upper compartment formed by the top of the casing and the partition 4, for

illuminating the indicia on the glass 5, while an electric bulb is positioned in the lower compartment, formed by the partition 4 and a false bottom 7 the bulb in the lower compartment acting to illuminate indicia on the glass 6.

' The casing 3 is provided with end walls 8 that are connected with the partition 4, bottom wall 7, and upper false wall 9, the end walls 8 terminating a suflicient distance from the edge of the casing to provide pockets 10 to provide means for receiving therein a pivotally indicating hand or finger 11, each of said fingers being pivotally mounted as at 12, and one of the fingers being provided with the word North, While the finger in the opposite end of the casing has the word South thereon. v

A pair of solenoids, designated by the numerals 13 and 14 respectively are mounted in the casing between the upper false'top 9 and the top of the casing, which is indicated by the numeral 15. .A core 16 is slidably mounted in each of the solenoids l3 and 14, and one end of each of the cores 16 has a cord 17 attached thereto as at 18. The said cords are adapted to pass over a pulley 19 and be connected to the hand or finger 11 as at20.

The solenoids 13' and Y1 1 are connected to wires 21 carried by telegraph oles alongside the railroad track", said wires being attached .to suitable circuit switches 21 positioned alongside the railroad tracks which are arranged to be engaged by the wheels of a train for closing a circuit to the signal while the train is passing thereover. The switches 21 are placed sutlicient distances from the signal on both sides thereof, so that by the time the last wheels of a train of ordinary length have disengaged the same, the locomotive of the train will be clearly visible at the crossing. eated on the south bound track and the other on the north bound track, so that the signal will 0 erate when trains approach from either irect-ion, for example when a train is approaching from the south, the switch 21' leading to the solenoid 13 will be closed, thus energizing the same and causing the core 16 to slide therein, thus bringing the arm 11 on its pivot to display the word South, thus indicating that the train is approaching from the south. At the same time, the electric bulb in the upper compartment is ignited, which illuminates the words Traiiic stop, which will give sufficient warning to automobilists at a con siderable distance in order toenable them to bring the automobile to a stop before reaching the crossing. \Vhen a train is approaching from the north, the operation described above is reversed, the solenoid 1% being energized in this case, causing the arm 11 carrying the word North to swing outwardly.

As soon as the last car of the train has passed the switch 21 located on the track on which the train is traveling, the circuit is broken, thus deenergizing either the solenoid 13 or 14:, allowing the arm or finger 11 to move downwardly to an inoperative position, and at the same time, a solenoid 22 suitably connected through wires 22' to the wires 21, and positioned between the false bottom 7 and the bottom 23 of the casing is deenergized, allowing the switch arm 24 to be closed under the influence of a spring arm 25, which will ignite the electric bulb in the lower compartment, thus displaying the words Traliic go.

One of the switches is lo- A bell 26 is mounted on the post 1 and can. be caused to sound an alarm by any suitable electric circuit leading thereto.

\Vhile I have shown and described the preferred form of my invention, I realize that various minor changes may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed, and therefore, I do not wish to limit myself to the exact details of construction shown, nor to the combination and arrangement of parts.

hat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A railroad crossing signal comprising a post mounted at one side of a railroad crossing, a casing supported on said post, an upper and lower compartment formed in said casing, said compartments having glass covers on the front and rearthereof and having indicia thereon, electric bulbs positioned in said compartments for illuminating the indicia, a pocket formed on each end of said casing, a movable hand normally received in each of said pockets,and means for illuminating the indicia in one compartment and moving one of said hands so as -76 to be visible upon the approach of a train, and illuminating the other compartment and returning the hand so'as to not be visible after the train has passed.

2. In a railroad crossing signal, comprising a post mounted at one side of a railroad crossing and having a casing supported thereon, an upper andlowercompartment formed in said casing, said compartments having glass covers on the front and rear thereof and having indicia thereon, electric bulbs positioned in said compartments for illuminating the indicia, a movable hand in each side of said casing, and means for illuminating the indicia in one compartment and moving one of said hands upon the approach of a train, and illuminating the other compartment and returning the hand after the train has passed.

In testimony whereof, I have affixed my signature.

JOHN IV. JACKSON. 

